Erna Voley married at the age of 17 in 1915. Her daughter Ingrid was born a year later. Erna Lugebiel worked as a seamstress in a Jewish store in Berlin. She became friends with many Jewish people there.
The Lugebiels were divorced in 1935. At the start of 1940, Erna Lugebiel came into contact with the communist resistance group Combat League. She joined the group and obtained clothing, food, and money for persecuted people. She also hid the three members of the Rothschild family in her home for several days. The Rothschilds were later arrested; only the father James Rothschild survived.
In the spring of 1943, several Combat League members were arrested. Erna Lugebiel was then also picked up in July 1943. After a year in pretrial detention, she was acquitted due to lack of evidence. However, she was still transferred to Ravensbrück concentration camp for “protective custody” in November 1944. She was the senior prisoner (Stubenälteste) in her room at the infirmary. In this function, she attempted to help sick inmates. She was liberated there on April 23, 1945.
Erna Lugebiel was active on behalf of the Ravensbrück Camp Community throughout her life.
Erna Lugebiel, Berlin, August 1941. Source: Privatbesitz/Private
Postcard from James Rothschild to Erna Lugebiel, who had hidden him in her home for a short time, Deggendorf, September 20, 1945. Source: Privatbesitz/Private
Postcard from James Rothschild to Erna Lugebiel, who had hidden him in her home for a short time, Deggendorf, September 20, 1945. Source: Privatbesitz/Private
